Revolution counter with disconnecting means

ABSTRACT

An array of number wheels in a counter are mounted for free rotation on a shaft and are normally held out of engagement with a driving gear by a strong spring which biases the shaft axially in one direction. To couple the counter to its driving gear, the shaft is pushed axially in the opposite direction to overcome the spring force and allow the wheels to be moved into engagement with the driving gear by the action of a weaker spring.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Einar T. Young Newtown Square, Pa.

[211 App]. No. 65,864

[22] Filed Aug. 21, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 [73] Assignee SunOil Company Philadelphia, Pa.

[54] REVOLUTION COUNTER WITH DISCONNECTING MEANS 8 Claims, 4 DrawingFigs.

[52] U.S.Cl 235/117 R, 235/94 R [51] Int. Cl. ..'G04bl5/00, G04b 37/04[50] Field ofSearch ..235/l17,9l PR, 91 R, 94, 103; 222/26 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,522,646 l/l925 Osclock 235/l 17X 1,826,520 10/1931 McGowan 235/117 2,482,663 9/1949 Fetter 235/1 17 A2,588,935 3/1952 Oran 235/1 l7 2,838,237 6/1958 Spaunburg et al.. 235/942,920,810 l/1960 Greenhow 235/l 17 X 3,380,630 4/1968 Wilson 222/26Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerStanley A. Wal

Attorneys-George L. Church, Donald R. Johnson, Wilmer E.

McCorquodale, Jr. and Frank A. Rechif ABSTRACT: An array of numberwheels in a counter are mounted for free rotation on a shaft and arenormally held out of engagement with a driving gear by a strong springwhich biases the shaft axially in one direction. To couple the counterto its driving gear, the shaft is pushed axially in the oppositedirection to overcome the spring force and allow the wheels to be movedinto engagement with the driving gear by the action of a weaker spring.

PATENTED um 5 IHYI INVzNToR EINAR T. YOUNG I ATTY- F IG. 2.

FIGB.

. REVOLUTION COUNTER WITH DISCONNECTING MEANS This invention relates toa revolution counter which can be selectively connected to ordisconnected from its driving source (shaft), so as to be selectivelyrendered operative or inoperative. Although the counter of thisinvention is of quite general application, a typical use of it will bedescribed herein, merely by way of example.

My prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,908 discloses amultigrademotor-fuel-dispensing apparatus, wherein various selectedblends of two motor-fuel components (which are of different octaneratings) may be selectively dispensed, as well as either componentseparately. Such apparatus ordinarily includes two counters (operatingas product totalizers) which show respectively the total gallonagedispensed of the two fuel components. These are conventional revolutioncounters geared respectively to the two product (fuel component) meters,and these operate in continuous fashion whenever the respectivecomponents are being dispensed.

For certain purposes, it is required also to measure the total gallonsdispensed of one particular blend. To do this, it is necessary to use acounter which is adapted to be driven by the shaft whose rotationrepresents total gallons, but is connected or coupled to such shaft (soas to beoperative) only when the said one particular blend is beingdispensed. In this connection, it is pointed out that the dispensingapparatus of my prior patent includes a shaft whose output isrepresentative of total gallons (of both fuel components) beingdispensed; this last-mentioned shaft also drives the quantity wheels ofthe (resettable) register to indicate the total gallons constituting aparticular sale.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel counter structure.

Another object is to provide a counter having a novel mechanicallyactuated disconnecting means, whereby the counter may be selectivelyrendered nonoperative or operative.

A further object is to provide a disconnecting means for a counter whichis effective in its operation, yet which is relatively simple inconstruction and rather inexpensive.

The foregoing and other objects are accomplished, briefly, in thefollowing manner: An array of number wheels are mounted for freerotation on a shaft and are adapted to be driven by means of a drivegear which can mesh with the lowest order number wheel. A relativelystrong spring normally urges the shaft axially in one direction andalso, by means of an abutment carried by the shaft and engaging thewheel array, urges the array in this same direction, wherein the arrayis disengaged from the drive gear. The shaft is pushed axially in theopposite direction when driving of the number wheels is desired, againstthe force of the strong spring, to allow the array to move intoengagement with the drive gear under the urging of a weaker spring whichpushes the array into such engagement.

A detailed description of the invention follows, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a counter according to thisinvention, showing the parts in the disengaged or nonoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a partial face view of one of the number wheels of thecounter;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the parts in theirengaged or operative position.

Referring now to the drawing, a shaft 1 is mounted so as to be capableof a limited degree of axial sliding movement, within a supporting frame2. Shaft 1 rotatably carries a plurality (shown as six in number) ofnumber wheels 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 arranged in a linear array thereon.The hub portion of each wheel engages the hub portion of the nextadjacent wheel, so that by pushing against one end of the array, theentire array may be moved along shaft 1. The lowest order number wheel 8has a spur gear 9 secured thereto to integral therewith, this lattergear being adapted to mesh with a driving spur gear or pinion l0 fixedto an input shaft 1 l rotatably journaled in the frame 2, for drivingthe wheel 8 and hence the counter (which includes the number wheels 3-8)by suitable external driving mechanism. For example, a spur gear wheel12 of larger diameter is secured to shaft 1 l and is suitablygear-connected to the total gallons shaft of a gasoline-dispensingapparatus, for example.

As indicated in FIG. 2, each of the number wheels 3-8 (a portion ofwheel 8 being illustrated) has the digits zero (0) to nine (9) thereon,so that a conventional decade-related digital display (viewable througha viewing window 19) is provided.

Conventional intermittent motion-transfer mechanisms, including transferpinions 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, respectively, interconnect thesuccessively higher order number wheels 8 and 7, 7 and 6, 6 and 5, 5 and4, and 4 and 3 to advance each higher order number wheel a predeterminedincremental amount (one-tenth revolution) in response to predeterminedrotation (one revolution) of the next lower order number wheel. Forexample, these mechanisms may be of the type described in U.S. Pat No.3,334,8l l. The transfer pinions 13-17 (commonly termed mutilatedpinions) are rotatably mounted on a shaft 18 mounted in frame 2.

A coiled compression spring 20 surrounds the hub of the highest ordernumber wheel 3. One end of this spring bears against a vertical face(fixed abutment) 21 formed on frame 2, and the other end of this springbears against the disklike web of wheel 3. Spring 20 tends to urgenumber wheel 3, and hence the entire array or stack of number wheels3-8, axially toward the right in FIG. 1.

Let us assume for the moment that the additional structure (to bedescribed hereinafter) is not present. With this assumption, thestructure described so far comprises a rather conventional counter.Spring 20 will urge the stack of wheels 3-8 axially to the right (to theposition illustrated in FIG. 4), so that the gear 9 of the lowest ordernumber wheel 8 will mesh with pinion 10 on input shaft 11. The firstwheel 8 is driven, driving in turn the transfer pinion 13, the secondwheel 7, etc., as in any conventional counter.

According to this invention, a coiled compression spring 22, which isconsiderably stronger than spring 20, is mounted within an axial recess23 formed in the end of shaft 1 adjacent to the number wheel 8. One endof this spring bears against the bottom of the recess, and the other endbears against the frame 2. Thus, spring 22 biases shaft 1 axially towardthe left in FIG. 1.

A ring 24, for example, a Truarc Retaining Ring," fits in acircumferential groove provided in shaft 1 and its face is adapted tobear against the hub of number wheel 8; thus, ring 24 serves as anabutment which is carried by shaft 1 and engages the stack or array ofnumber wheels 3-8. As a result, spring 22 biases the shaft 1 and alsothe entire array of number wheels axially toward the left in FIG. 1.Since spring 22 is considerably stronger than spring 20 (which latter,as previously described, tends to urge the stack of number wheels towardthe right), in the free condition the entire shaft and wheel assembly orarray is urged axially toward the left, disengaging the lowest ordernumber wheel 8 from pinion 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In thisposition, the counter is nonoperative, and does not count (even thoughpinion 10 may be rotating). It may be noted here that the transferpinions 13-17 are moved axially toward the left along their mountingshaft 18, as the counter wheel assembly moves.

The end of shaft 1 opposite to spring 22 extends outwardly beyond frame2, as illustrated. When it is desired to render the counter of theinvention operative (e.g., when a particular motor fuel blend which itis desired to measure is being dispensed), a cam 27 pushes the outwardlyextending or left end of shaft 1 axially to the right, as illustrated at25 (FIG. 4), overcoming the force of spring 22. The travel of shaft 1 islimited in this direction by ring 24 coming into engagement with avertical face 26 formed on frame 2 (as illustrated in FIG. 4). As ring24 moves with shaft 1 toward the right, away from the hub of wheel 8,the array of number wheels 3-8 is free to move toward the right, underthe urging of spring 20. That is, spring now pushes the stack of wheelsaxially to the right along shaft 1, bringing the gear 9 of wheel 8 intomesh with pinion 10, as illustrated in FIG. 4. This is the operative orengaged position of the counter, and the counter will then be drivenfrom the input shaft 11, and will count. The transfer pinions 13-17 movetoward the right along their shaft 18, as the counter-wheel assemblymoves toward the right.

When the cam force is removed, spring 22 will again overcome the forceof spring 20 to move the shaft 1 axially toward the left from the FIG. 4position, returning the stack of number wheels and also the transferpinions to the disengaged or nonoperative position illustrated in FIG.1.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a revolution counter comprising a shaft, an ordered set of numberwheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, a driving gear for driving thenumber wheel of lowest order, means tending to urge said lowest ordernumber wheel into operative engagement with said driving gear, meansacting in opposition to the first-mentioned means to normally maintainsaid lowest order number wheel out of operative engagement with saiddriving gear, and means for applying a force to said counter in such amanner as to nullify the action of the second-mentioned means.

2. Structure of claim 1, wherein each of said first-mentioned and saidsecond-mentioned means comprises an individual compression spring, thetwo springs acting in opposite senses with respect to said lowest ordernumber wheel.

3. Structure recited in claim 2, wherein the compression spring of saidsecond-mentioned means is substantially stronger than the compressionspring of said first-mentioned means.

4. A revolution counter comprising a shaft, an ordered set of numberwheels rotatably mounted on said shaft in a linear stacked array, adriving gear for driving the number wheel of lowest order, means tendingto urge said array of wheels in one direction along said shaft to bringsaid lowest order number wheel into operative engagement with saiddriving gear, means acting to restrain said array of wheels againstmovement in said one direction, thereby to normally maintain said lowestorder number wheel out of operative engagement with said driving gear,and means for applying a force to said counter in such a manner as tonullify the action of the second-mentioned means.

5. Counter of claim 4, wherein each of the first-mentioned andsecond-mentioned means comprises an individual compression spring, thetwo springs acting in opposite senses with respect to said array ofwheels.

6. Counter recited in claim 5, wherein the compression spring of saidsecond-mentioned means is substantially stronger than the compressionspring of said first-mentioned means.

7. Counter defined in claim 4, wherein said shaft is mounted for axialsliding movement, and wherein the second-mentioned means comprises meansfor biasing said shaft axially in a predetermined direction, and anabutment fixed to said shaft for engaging said array of wheels.

8. Counter of claim 7, wherein the biasing means comprises a compressionspring bearing against said shaft.

1. In a revolution counter comprising a shaft, an ordered set of numberwheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, a driving gear for driving thenumber wheel of lowest order, means tending to urge said lowest ordernumber wheel into operative engagement with said driving gear, meansacting in opposition to the firstmentioned means to normally maintainsaid lowest order number wheel out of operative engagement with saiddriving gear, and means for applying a force to said counter in such amanner as to nullify the action of the second-mentioned means. 2.Structure of claim 1, wherein each of said first-mentioned and saidsecond-mentioned means comprises an individual compression spring, thetwo springs acting in opposite senses with respect to said lowest ordernumber wheel.
 3. Structure recited in claim 2, wherein the compressionspring of said second-mentioned means is substantially stronger than thecompression spring of said first-mentioned means.
 4. A revolutioncounter comprising a shaft, an ordered set of number wheels rotatablymounted on said shaft in a linear stacked array, a driving gear fordriving the number wheel of lowest order, means tending to urge saidarray of wheels in one direction along said shaft to bring said lowestorder number wheel into operative engagement with said driving gear,means acting to restrain said array of wheels against movement in saidone direction, thereby to normally maintain said lowest order numberwheel out of operative engagement with said driving gear, and means forapplying a force to said counter in such a manner as to nullify theaction of the second-mentiOned means.
 5. Counter of claim 4, whereineach of the first-mentioned and second-mentioned means comprises anindividual compression spring, the two springs acting in opposite senseswith respect to said array of wheels.
 6. Counter recited in claim 5,wherein the compression spring of said second-mentioned means issubstantially stronger than the compression spring of saidfirst-mentioned means.
 7. Counter defined in claim 4, wherein said shaftis mounted for axial sliding movement, and wherein the second-mentionedmeans comprises means for biasing said shaft axially in a predetermineddirection, and an abutment fixed to said shaft for engaging said arrayof wheels.
 8. Counter of claim 7, wherein the biasing means comprises acompression spring bearing against said shaft.